Implant devices may be used to treat various pathologies by being implanted in the body of an animal such as a human. Implantation of such devices may require that the implant device is anchored to a structure of the body such as e.g. a cardiac site such as a valvular site or annulus.
A variety of anchoring members have been devised for anchoring implant devices to a structure in an animal body.
For instance, cardiac rhythm management devices such as e.g. pacemakers, defibrillators, cardioverters and electrodes possibly associated therewith may be provided with anchoring members including barbs. Self-anchoring electrodes such as so-called pigtail electrodes may be used in such a context.
Barbs may also be used as anchoring members for valve prostheses, while anchoring members adapted to extend into the sinuses of Valsalva may be used for anchoring valve prostheses at an aortic annulus site.
EP 2 695 586 A1 describes anchoring members including a web portion coupled to the annular structure of a valve prosthesis and two end portions at axially opposed sides of the web portion. The end portions admit (that is, are adapted to assume e.g. by moving to and/or being brought to) an insertion condition where the end portions are aligned to the web portion and extend axially with respect to the annular structure and an anchoring condition where the end portions extend at an angle to the web portion radially outwardly of the annular structure to provide anchoring of the prostheses proximally and distally, respectively, of an annulus.
In certain implementations of apparatus for replacing a diseased cardiac valve as disclosed in US 2010/0312333 A1, first and second attachment members can also comprise windable coils located at the first and second ends of an elongated body member to respectively contact the superior and inferior aspects of a native mitral annulus when the apparatus is in an expanded configuration.